Do you let your DC do this?

[jcmayj]

If at the dinner table or out for a meal with family, do you let your DC watch things/play on their tablets whilst you eat?

No!!

Absolutely not!!

@Vegisgrowingwell I was out for dinner earlier at a pub, there was a couple with two DDs watching cartoons on their tablet loudly

No we don't.

However a few things spring to mind

Have the kids got food too? Or are they expected to sit for a very long time? For the time it takes to order and eat food no I expect to entertain then with chatting or similar. But mine are young still

Depends how long the meal is going to be BUT the rule is no sound. No one wants to hear whatever you tube nonsense they are watching.

@NoKnit their food had arrived at this point

Not at the dinner table although dinner is on. Only put at dinner if he was really struggling to sit nice. He's 3.5

I do! Expected to chat before food and can watch iPad with headphones afterwards.

But ds has autism so social and noisy things aren't easy for him. He has however improved massively and rarely uses iPad now because I made the experience enjoyable and built up.

No, they never have done. They're now 12, 9 and 7 and have been going out for meals since they were babies.

I detest it.
Its great if a kid is very small or has SEN, but with headphones ffs.
We usually do some drawing and colouring.

No, never.

Except where there are SN, I think it’s an awful habit to get into and teachers poor habits and bad manners.

Not before or during the meal.

IF adults want to stay and chat for quite a bit after, tablet can be used but no sound.

@gamerwidow sounds very fair. The couple next to me obviously didn't have the same rule, their children's tablets were playing very loudly!

Sorry, telly is on during dinner at home.

Not out for dinner of food has arrived and no sound if waiting to eat /has finished

No

No

If we're out yes. My DC has additional needs, rather him playing on a kids game than screaming the place down

Honestly seems fair if child has additional needs but if not then I don't see why it's reasonable to let them sit at the table eating watching their tablets and loudly at that

DD is only 18 months, but we only put cartoons on for her (very quietly, at the point where we can't hear it and we are sitting right next to her) towards the end of a meal if she's getting very fussy and we are both still eating. One of us would go outside with her soon as we have finished eating though.

I have family who let their kids watch cartoons on tablets from the start of the meal though. But they don't tend to watch their kids when out. I'd rather hear that than have the kids running about the place screaming and shouting.

OP do you know they don't have additional needs?

Yes, with earphones. I’ve always let my DS do as he pleases.

Nope.

I had a word with some parents a couple of weeks ago as the kids were watching a very loud video on her phone. We were eating lunch in the restaurant but of a pub and my friend W was telling me about her dad who they suspect is terminally ill, all I could do is here the blinking cartoon, it was really hard to concentrate on my friend.

I am annoyed I didn’t say anything during the chat but just when we left, I said do you realise that’s quite obtrusive for everyone else trying to have a quiet meal. They looked shocked as if it never occurred to them it would be disturbing others!

At home, no.
At restaurants With toddlers, yes. Older kids, no. Unless there was a very long wait for food and they were getting restless.

I try not to stress too much about how other people raise their children. I don’t judge other parents for using screens in restaurants, maybe the parent wanted 10 minutes peace 🤷🏻‍♀️

I couldn’t give two hoots what people do to entertain their children when eating out as long as it keeps them quiet and at the table.

But if your using electronics make sure nobody else can hear them!

Nope, and I would say something if disrupting my meal.